Blog Stuff

April 24, 2010

Dive Into Earth Day 2010 a Coordinated Effort by Treasure Island Limited and Subsurface Fiji

Dive for Earth Day 2010 was a complete success on Treasure with the coordinated effort by Treasure Island Limited Guests and Staff and Staff of Subsurface Fiji [Beachcomber and Treasure Island].

Activities included Beach and Underwater Clean-up. 'Dive for Earth Day 2010' is a global event organized by the Project AWARE Foundation, a non profit organization conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action, they also organize hands on environmental activities, lead public awareness and education programmes and provide support for conservation efforts worldwide.

The AWARE Kids program included coral viewing, fish feeding and beach clean-up. This interesting event allowed the children some time to race along the beach looking for washed up trash and the sorting of trash had them commenting on the large number of cigarette butts found under beach chairs as well as old shoes and pipes which were listed as most unusual items collected.

The afternoon session included a number of certified divers, and dive instructors working together to help clean up the outer reef, as well as interested snorklers who gladly donned masks and fins to help the cause.

A Big Vinaka Vakalevu To All Those who helped out.

Staff of Treasure Island Resort and Subsurface Fiji and a special thank you to the following volunteers for your support:-

April 16, 2010

Red List Species of the Day - 15th April

The Carossier Palm is listed as 'Critically Endangered' on the IUCN Red List of Thretened Species. One of the rarest palms in the America's, this tall, attractive species is restricted to the Southwestern peninsula of Haiti on the island of Hispaniola, in the caribbean. This species owes it status to the conversion of habitat for agriculture which has had a severe impact on the poupulation and just 30 individuals were estimated to remain in the wild in 1996. Other major threats include the harvestign of seeds by people, livestock, grazing,and a reduction in the abundance of seed dispersal agents. Given the small size of its population, The Carossier Palm is also vulnerable to extreme natural events.

April 14, 2010

Red List Species of the Day - 14th April

The Madagascar Pochard is classified as 'Critically Endangered' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is the rarest duck in the world and when they were not sighted for 15 years were presumed extinct, until 2006 when 20 individuals were suprisingly discovered. They were found living hundreds of kilometers from where they had last been seen. They owe their status to the introduction of exotic fish into lakes across the island. Its potential recovery is further threatened by extensive conversion of wetlands to rice production and certain fishing practices which are deadly to diving ducks.

Red List Species of the Day - 13th April

The Northern Muriqui is listed as 'Critically Endangered' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This species occurs in the Atlantic Forests in parts of Eastern Brazil, where it has been a flagship species for the conservation of this fragile habitat. This species now exists in only a handful of small and isolated subpopulations. This group of primates have been widely hunted for food and sport, and the widespread destruction of its forests is now putting the Northern Muriqui at serious risk of extinction.

April 13, 2010

Red List Species of the Day - 12th April

Darwin's Frog is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. First discovered by Charles Darwin, this amphibian species occurs in the forests of Central and Southern Chile and Argentina, and has an intriguing system of reproduction in which the male broods eggs and tadpoles within its vocal sacs. This species of frog has undergone a worrying decline and extinction in some areas. Darwin's Frog owes its status to habitat loss, deforestation, drought and replacementof native vegetation with introduced pine and eucalyptus species in some areas, however, in other areas the exact causes of their decline is still unknown, but may be linked to global climate change or disease.

Red List Species of the Day - 11th April

The Inagua Rockrose is classified as 'Critically Endangered' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species of Spanish Vascular Flora. This plant is exclusive to the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria), where it has only been found in a small area located in the western sector of the island. This plant owes its status on the Red List to a forest fire which destroyed majority of the plants in July of 2007. Impact of herbivores appears to be a major threat to this species. A certain amount of habitat fragmentation and low levels of recruitment due to increasingly frequent periods of drought are also factors in the decline of the Inagua Rockrose.

April 11, 2010

Red List Species of the Day - 10th April

The Ploughshare Tortoise is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to a declining wild population of a few hundred animals. This tortoise is restricted to a tiny area of dry scrubland in Northwestern Madagascar, this species has recieved conservation attention since the early 1970's. Protection of the small population in its natural habitat and a captive breeding programme slowly began to increase its numbers, until it became a target of illegal international wildlife traders.

Red List Species of the Day - 9th April

The Honduran White Bat is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN List of Threatened Species. This tiny bat is only 37-47mm, has a distinctive white coat, and is restricted to specific habitats in the lowlands of the Caribbean slopes of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Northwestern Panama. As a rainforest inhabitan, the loss and degradation of Central America's forests, particularly forested areas containing Heliconia species is the principal threat to the Honduran White Bat. These adorable creatures are tent bats and use the Heliconia leaves for tents, and cling to the underside of the leaves in groups made up of 1 male and a harem of females.

April 08, 2010

Red List Species of the Day - 8th April

The Gilded Presba is listed as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the Gilded Presba is a large dragonfly that lives in the Cape Fold Mountains of South Africa and are capable of remarkably powerful flight, emerging from the cool mountain streams and then swiftly up and over the mountains.

They owe their vulnerable status to the introduction of invasive alien trees which aggressivly spread along the stream anad river banks shading out their habitat and eventually squeezing out much of the local flora and fauna.

April 07, 2010

Red List Species of the Day - 6th April

The Santiago Galapagos Mouse is listed as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and occur only in a small area of the island of Santiago, in the Galapagos. These mammals owe their vulnerable status to the introduction of invasive species, paricularly the Black Rat, mice and feral cats.

Red List Species of the Day - 7th April

The Fony Baobab is classified as 'Vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, This plant occurs in the dry and subariel bioclimates of Madagascar. This flora species, the smallest of the six Malagasy baobab species owes its vulnerable status to excessive charcoal production, bushfires, and forest clearance for agriculture.

April 05, 2010

Humans are part of nature's rich diversity and have the power to protect or destroy it.

Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is essential to sustaining the living networks and systems that provide us all with health, wealth, food, fuel and the vital services our lives depend on.

Human activity is causing the diversity of life on Earth to be lost at accelerated rates. These losses are irreversible, impoverish us all and damage the life support systems we rely on everyday. But we can prevent them.

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity. Lets reflect on our achievements to safeguard biodiversity and focus on the urgency of our challenge for the future.

Now is the time to act!

The 2010 Biodiversity Target

"To achieve, by 2010, a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level, as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on Earth"

Red List Species of the Day

The Bengal Florican is listed as Criticalally Endangered, found on the Indian Continent and parts of South East Asia, loss and alteration of grassland habitats and excessive hunting are the major contributors to their decline.

As participants and supporters of The International Year of Biodiversity, Treasure Island Limited will continue its care for the reef systems and marine life [hawksbill turtles], native bird species [banded rail] and endemic reptilians [crested iguanas].

I encourage each and every viewer to take part even in the smallest of ways and if you have any ideas or suggestions don't hesitate to drop a comment, red list species of the day will be updated on a daily basis.....

March 29, 2010

Guests and Staff of Treasure Island paid tribute to Mother Earth on the 27th of March, 2010. The event was a success and true to the theme, went Beyond the Hour while enjoying the sounds of traditional Fijian songs being sung throughout the night.

Dark clouds that threatened earlier in the evening did nothing to dampen the spirit of the event and pretty soon the moon was out and casting it light through the trees and the occasional star could be seen peeking out from behind the constantly shifting clouds.

The golden glow of the bamboo torches and the strumming of the string guitar were the only signs of inhabitance on the island as people took time to reflect or relax and enjoy a bit of quiet time and before long the lights were flickering back on concluding another successful Earth Hour.

A big Vinaka Vakalevu to our honored guests who were patient and understanding in our support for Earth Hour and to our great Treasure Team for their support.

March 16, 2010

Bula all: just an update to say overnight there was little to no change from yesterday, and this morning we are experiencing gusty wind conditions with heavy seas. These conditions mean that marine transport has been suspended until further notice, as have helicopter transfers, however there is no damage to any facilities here as well as no rain here yet.

Guests and their Host are in fine spirits and we are expecting the gusty conditions to subside in the later part of the afternoon. Thank you all for your emails of concern; we really do appreciate these.

Vinaka and regards from your Treasure Island Team.

a few images from today just before lunch:

PS we dedicate our prayers and wishes to those who are being directly affected by this hurricane.